The African Democratic Congress vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Rotimi Amaechi, has said he would not engage with insults from individuals he described as his political subordinates.
Amaechi made the remark during an interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, stating that he would not respond to attacks directed at him by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
“I don’t respond to my subordinates. Wike never hired me,” Mr Amaechi said on Channels TV on Tuesday.
The former Rivers State governor’s comment followed remarks made by Wike earlier in Abuja during a media chat, where he described Amaechi as a “political liability” with little electoral influence.
Wike also claimed that the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, selected Amaechi as his running mate because of financial considerations rather than his ability to attract votes.
“If you are choosing a vice-presidential candidate, a running mate, I’m sure the only factor that has been used to choose Rotimi Amaechi may be financial because the former governor lacks the capacity to deliver votes,” the FCT minister stated.
Responding to the criticism, Amaechi said he would reserve his reaction until the political campaigns begin, promising to respond to anyone who attacks him.
Mr Amaechi said he would start responding by “the time we finish mourning and go into the campaigns, I’ll insult anybody who insults me”.
The two politicians, who both previously served as governors of Rivers State, have been involved in a prolonged political rivalry spanning several years.
